Legally Blonde 2: Red White & Blonde (Blu-ray)

In college, I was Sally Sorority, highly involved in my Greek house and everything that the sorority had to offer. When LEGALLY BLONDE came out in 2001, I remember watching it with my sisters and thoroughly enjoying this fun-loving and quotable flick. Naturally when the sequel, LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE AND BLONDE came out in 2003, we were first in-line to see Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods work her designer threads and signature pink color. Clips from the trailers had us hooked and we knew we were in for a treat! Wrong. I had forgotten the utter disappointment and overall let down feeling that I had while at the theatre nine years ago until I sat down and watched the Blu-ray.

Things kick off with an over explained recap of the first film where we learn Elle is now engaged to be married to Emmett (Luke Wilson) and works at a law firm where she is up for partner. While planning her wedding she decides to invite her dog’s mom to the nuptials and that is where things get a little wacky. She discovers that the pooch is being used for animal testing and decides to take action by heading to DC to work with fellow blonde and Harvard alum, Representative Victoria Rudd (Sally Field). Befriending her doorman, Sid (Bob Newhart), and other Washington officials she navigates her way through DC fighting for animal rights. When she needs reinforcements to help with the cause she activates an emergency sorority hotline and Delta Nu sisters flock to the capital.

There are so many things wrong with this follow up film, it feels like a watered down version of the first one without original jokes or character development. I’m all for animal rights but this campy take on fighting for man’s best friend is in-furr-iating (bah-dump-dum-ching!). The storyline is terrible; I cannot believe that so many distinguished actors willingly participated in making this movie.

Despite the horrible script, the acting was perfect, probably because of all the seasoned actors who did what they could with what they had to work with. Reece Witherspoon has really captured Elle’s happy go-lucky attitude and that is one thing I really liked about the movie. No matter how rude or cruel people were toward Elle, she never struck back, remaining positive and upbeat. Who doesn’t like, really like, Sally Field as a baddie? She does a great job as the Representative who puts her own agenda above her constituents. Regina King is amazing as Grace, the right hand employee to Representative Rudd. As a weathered veteran in Rudd’s office, she maintains her hard as nails approach resisting Elle’s tactics keeping things orderly and done the Washington way. I like her changed outlook toward Elle and Rudd at the end of this film, it is refreshing. I love Bob Newhart as the grandfatherly doorman. Although he is forced to say some terrible lines, he rolls with it and seems like he is having fun.

I desperately wish the creators would have given us something fresh and fun like the original instead of this insult of a movie.

BLU-RAY REVIEW

Audio Commentary With Jennifer Coolidge, Jessica Caufiel and Alanna Ubach: This commentary is painful to watch even though they say some funny things about the film and their acting.

Deleted Scenes (9:31): 7 terrible deleted scenes.

Blonde Ambition (22:27): Typical ‘Making Of’ feature where the actors and everyone who worked on this film compliment the script and cast.

Pretty in Pink (6:36): Look into the set design and each location they decided to shoot at or create. Everything from the Washington DC offices and the Delta Nu suite where Elle stays while fighting for Bruiser’s mom.

Stars and Stripes, Never! (7:35): A feature on the costumes used throughout the film.

Hair Apparent (6:56): Check out all of Elle’s hair-do’s and hair styles.

Elle’s Anthem (7:13): The composer for LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED WHITE AND BLONDE shows us how they created the soundtrack for the film.

Gag Reel (2:39): An unfunny gag reel. I did not laugh or smile once while watching this.